Wildland-urban fires trigger biological changes in firefighters, may explain increased cancer risks
Firefighters who fight fires in wildland urban interface zones, where undeveloped and developed land meet, appear to experience genetic changes that may help explain their elevated risk for certain cancers and other diseases, according to a study led by the University of Michigan.
The researchers used blood samples available through the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study to compare changes in microRNAs and DNA methylation between firefighters who were exposed to wildland-urban interface, or WUI, fires and those who were not.
"The molecular changes we're seeing may help to explain why firefighters face higher rates of certain cancers and other health conditions later in their careers. Understanding these biological pathways gives us potential targets for developing protective strategies that could reduce health risks for firefighters," said Jackie Goodrich, the study's lead author and research associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Firefighters responding to wildland urban interface fires face unique occupational hazards through exposure to a complex mix of chemicals from burning vegetation, structures, vehicles and other human-made materials, often without respiratory protection and for extended periods. The publication of the study in Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis comes as Los Angeles is recovering from devastating fires in January.
A key study finding showed that 50 microRNAs had changed in the 10-month followup in firefighters who responded to at least one WUI fire. More specifically, one microRNA with known tumor suppression activity decreased in firefighters who had responded to a WUI fire in the prior 10 months versus those who had not. Overall, the affected microRNAs play a role in regulating immune function, inflammation, neurological disorders and cancer, among other conditions and diseases. No significant changes in DNA methylation were found.
"This study builds upon previous evidence from our studies in firefighters that show epigenetic changes accumulating from years of exposure. These new results suggest that even exposure to one-time big events like WUI fires can trigger changes in microRNA expression linked to various disease pathways," Goodrich said. "Our next steps are to determine whether these changes persist long-term and to develop interventions that could protect firefighter health."
Study: Epigenetic Modifications Associated With Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI) Firefighting (DOI: 10.1002/em.70002)
Related research from Goodrich on firefighters' risk from PFAS exposure.
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